UCSB Suffers its First Loss of the Season to LMU 1-0 for the Second Straight Year

Santa Barbara, Calif. -
Sometimes the balls just don't bounce your way, as was so for the ninth-ranked UC Santa Barbara men's soccer team who dropped a 1-0 decision at home to WCC power Loyola Marymount. Despite out-shooting the Lions 23-10, the Gauchos were not able to find the back of the net, suffering the their first loss of the season to fall to 7-1-1. Ironically, it was also LMU last year that snapped UCSB's eight game winning streak to start the 2002 season. Loyola Marymount's Kevin Novak scored his eighth goal of the season at the 59:37 mark to improve the Lions to 7-4-1.

The emotionally charged match was the fifth game out of the last seven meetings to be decided by one goal. Santa Barbara, who had not been shutout since October 19th, 2002, had its home unbeaten streak snapped at 16 games, just two wins shy of the NCAA record books.

UCSB saw four shots clank off either the cross bar or the post, and Lion goalkeeper Shawn Kalnasy made some big saves to keep the Gauchos scoreless. Kalnasy ended the match with four saves.

On the other side of the pitch, it was junior goalkeeper Dan Kennedy's hard fall that resulted in the only goal of the match. The Lions' Joseph Stoakley punched a pass to the right corner to set up a Sean Rhynard cross into the box. After Rhynard got behind the UCSB defense he chipped a pass to the back post that Novak redirected with his head. Kennedy made a quick move to his right making an initial save, but the momentum of Novak carried him into the UCSB keeper. Still holding onto the ball Kennedy fell back and into the goal with the ball just barely clearing the line by a matter of inches. Kennedy attempted the push the ball back out while he was still falling, but he was unable to get rid of it, resulting in his first goal allowed in 454:58 minutes, and the eventual Lion win.

It appeared that Santa Barbara tied things up with just under five minutes remaining after a flurry of UCSB attacks ended with senior forward Neil Jones burying a header into the back of the net. Junior forward Drew McAthy put a shot on frame that careened back out to junior Matt Bly. Bly had his shot deflected and Jones picked up the loose ball and put the crowd on its feet. The goal, however, was disallowed when the linesman called Jones offsides in all the commotion.

More bad news came for the Gauchos with just over ten minutes remaining when senior midfielder David McGill went down with an injury. His status is unknown at this time.

UCSB now takes a week-long break before returning to action next Sunday, October 12, at home against the University of New Mexico. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.